South American woman arrested in theft operation faces deportation

PERKINS TWP. — A woman from Chile is facing deportation after Perkins police found more than $5,000 of stolen electronic goods in her car.Police arrested Catalina Isidora Caceres-Basaez, 20, on charges of receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police were seeking a male accomplice who allegedly stole the items.Perkins police were summoned to Best Buy in the Sandusky Mall complex at 5:13 p.m. Saturday on a report of a man running from the store. When a store manager tried to stop the man as he left the store, three sets of Beats headphones fell from inside the man's shirt.Police were unable to find the male suspect, but a woman who was identified as being with the man was spotted inside a car near the store. She claimed to be unable to speak English and handed police a passport and an ID card from Chile.The Border Patrol was called to help with the language difficulty.Police smelled marijuana and searched the car and found more than $5,000 of electronic items, which were identified as being from Best Buy. Police also seized $728 in cash.With a Border Patrol agent translating, Caceres-Basaez said she arrived in the U.S. in January and then met the man. The man made her rent a car and go with him as he steals from stores, he said.Caceres-Basaez was taken to Erie County Jail. Jail officials later told the police department that the Border Patrol had picked her up and was processing her for deportation.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.Catalina Isidora Caceres-Basaez